PAC-MAN (video game)
|caption = North American flyer. |developer = NAMCO |publisher = JPNAMCO NAMidway |series = |director = |producer = |designer = Toru Iwatani |programmer = Shigeo Funaki |artist = |writer = |composer = Toshio Kai |engine = |format = |release = Arcade JPMay 22, 1980 NAOctober 26, 1980 |genre = Maze |mode = Single-player, multiplayer |rating = E for Everyone |platform = Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 800, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit, Apple II, Intellivision, NES, MSX, Game Boy, Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Game Boy Color, Mobile, Xbox Live Arcade, iPod Classic, Wii Virtual Console, Windows Phone 7, iPhone/iPad, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch |media = |requirement = |input = }} PAC-MAN ( ) is an arcade game first released in Japan in May 1980. Developed by NAMCO (now BANDAI NAMCO Games), it was the debut title in the series. The game was not intended to be too popular at first, but when released, the game was a huge success and is now the highest-grossing arcade game of all time. This resulted in many sequels and spin-offs of the game, including Ms. PAC-MAN. The game has been cloned innumerable times, and re-released on many systems and in many compilations. The player controls PAC-MAN, whose design is a yellow circle with a pie wedge shaped mouth, to eat pellets called "Pac-Dots" through a maze. When all dots are eaten, PAC-MAN is taken to the next stage. Four ghosts, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde roam the maze, trying to catch PAC-MAN. If a ghost chomps (touches) PAC-MAN, a life is lost. When all lives have been lost, the game ends. However, there are also four larger, flashing dots near the corners of the maze known as Power Pellets, which provide PAC-MAN with the temporary ability to eat the ghosts, which will turn blue, reverse direction, and move slower for a short period of time. In addition, bonus items, usually referred to as fruits (though not all items are fruits) occasionally appear near the center of the maze, and they score extra bonus points when eaten. The items change and bonus values increase throughout the game. Much like most arcade games at the time of release, there is no official ending to the game, and the only instances of progression between levels are the speeds of PAC-MAN and the ghosts, the different fruits that appear, the length of time before vulnerable ghosts return to normal, and occasional cutscenes known as "intermissions". If a player plays up to the 256th level, the right side of the maze becomes a garbled mess of code, therefore making the level impossible. Because of this, the only real objective of the game is to score as many points as possible, which can be earned by eating Pac-Dots, ghosts, and fruits. In the Super Smash Flash series Characters Initially, the only representation of the game in Super Smash Flash 2 was the titular character as an Assist Trophy. However, PAC-MAN later became a playable character. Moves Much of PAC-MAN's moveset in SSF2 is reminiscent of his appearance in this game. For example, many of his attacks temporarily change his appearance to resemble his original circular appearance. Several other moves in his moveset reference other elements of this game; for instance, his smash attacks all incorporate the four ghosts from this game in their original sprite forms, with Blinky in his forward smash, Inky in his up smash, and Pinky and Clyde in his down smash. Blinky and Pinky also appear in his standard taunt. His standard special move makes use of the bonus fruits that appear in the center of the stage, and the order in which PAC-MAN can summon them is the same order they appear in each level. His side special move creates a chain of Pac-Dots with a Power Pellet at the end that PAC-MAN follows in the style of the arcade game, and much like in the game, eating the Power Pellet makes him more powerful. Stages The stage in SSF2 called PAC-MAZE originates from this game as well. The stage takes place in one of the mazes, with the platforms being some of the walls present in the game. The four ghosts originating from this game appear in the stage as background characters moving around the maze just like they normally would, with Pac-Dots littering the maze. The hazard of the stage is that players who enter a blast zone without being hit into it come out on the other side of the stage, which comes from the mechanic in the arcade game that traveling off the edge of the screen brings the player back on the other side. Music An original funk remix of this game's startup theme, simply named Pac-Man Theme, appears as the main music track of PAC-MAZE in SSF2. Additionally, another remix of the game’s startup theme appears as the PAC-MAN universe’s victory theme. Category:Games Category:Official games Category:Super Smash Flash 2 Category:Super Smash Flash series Category:PAC-MAN universe Category:BANDAI NAMCO Games